Boys and sport

A report last week linked lack of sport at school to academic underachievement of boys. Well no shit sherlock. Even in my day schools were becoming incredibly concerned with ensuring no one lost in anything. There was nowhere to channel the immense energy boys have growing up. This was when I hatched a plan to put all of the books in the library in people's lockers and got suspended. This was bad as my Mum was the local Librarian and her professional status suffered.

The rise of coursework (parent work), batting left handed if you were any good at cricket, studying Jane Austen, the complete lack of any male teachers all conspired to make school feel like it was - dare I say it - run for girls.

This is not a whinge personally before you assign this to bitterness, I got straight As by competing with a girl who I imaginatively christened Cow Face Pig Face, who was so self-satisfied that she brought out the competitor in me, even for coursework.

But unless we bring sport back for at least a half day a week plus after school teams then boys will continue to regard school as farcical. And I don't really blame them.